Showing posts with label Birthdays. Show all posts

This is belated, I know, but life has been crazy busy over the last month & a half. So, I am finally posting a 'happy birthday post' for our daughter and sister, Anna Grace. We are amazed that she is here! She was 7 years old last month, May 22nd to be exact. She was due to be here on July 9th, but she (& God I am sure) decided they couldn't wait any longer for us to meet her, so May 22nd was the day God brought her to us, just in time for Grandma Sissy's birthday on May 25th. It is quite ironic, or just God's amazing grace, that she came 'early' after a long, long wait for her arrival....

8 years ago, we were on the verge of giving up our hope of starting a family,
Today our little girl is now 7 years old...

8 years ago, we cried out for a successful pregnancy, let alone a healthy child,
Today, that 'successful pregnancy' is a healthy, vibrant, loving 7 year old girl...

8 years ago, we were on the verge of letting our faith go and giving up on God,
Today, our God is showing us how MUCH He can do with a little faith & 7 years...

8 years ago, we couldn't see past the pain & the loss and we couldn't see His plan,
Today, we see that our God knew the plans all along and our daughter is 7 years old...

8 years ago, we asked God to give us what we thought we deserved, the blessing of children,
Today, we see that He gave us what we surely DIDN'T deserve and so much more...

8 years ago, we only dreamed of being a mommy & daddy & the vision was growing more faint every day,
Today, We are so thankful that we are able to be called 'mommy' & 'daddy' every day, for 7 years now & counting...

8 years ago, we almost gave up on God, and on our faith, and on each other,
Today, we see that God NEVER gave up on us, our lives, our hearts, and our family!

Today, Anna Grace is 7 years old and she is proof that God loves us WAY more than we DESERVE, or could even dare to ask for or imagine. He truly showed us AMAZING GRACE!! If you are at a point where you feel you are about to 'give up' on God or your faith, just HOLD ON for a little while longer, you will be amazed with what He can do with a little faith & 7 years!!

'Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound...' It is a song that is special to many of us, but it carries an extra special meaning in our family. We were given amazing grace in even having 2 healthy children and this song has become a song that Anna Grace asks for almost every night at bedtime without fail. She asks for this song to be sung to her as she drifts off to sleep. So, we continue to sing of His Amazing Grace almost daily!

Happy 7th Birthday Anna Grace! We are so blessed by your smile, laughter, joy, enthusiasm, and love for Jesus and others! You have been more than we could have ever hoped for or imagined and we love you dearly! Happy Birthday Gracie!! May He continue to bless you all the days of your life!

Take a moment to watch the slide show below of the 1st couple of years of her life. And remember to thank God for your precious family today! We are truly blessed, ALL of us, to have family around us-- whether you are our family by blood or by choosing, you are all our family and we love you so very much and thank you for living this journey we call 'life' with us.

'Don't blink! Just like that, you're 6 years old and you take a nap, and you wake up and you're 25 and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife... 100 years goes faster than you think! So, Don't Blink....'

Those are not my words. They are a songwriter's words, but those words have pierced my heart over the past month. I discovered this song, by Kenny Chesney, and it pretty much summarizes how FAST the past 6 to 7 years of our lives have gone by... in a blink, in a moment, much, much too fast!! And I don't see it slowing down any time soon!!

It seems that May 22, 2001 was just YESTERDAY and we were holding our daughter for the first time in our arms. Then, less than 12 months later, 50 weeks to be exact, to the day, we were incredibly blessed to be holding our son, on May 8, 2002. AMAZING!!

Then, we blinked and those 2 babies turned 6 and 7 this month!! It seems that the older they get, the FASTER the years go by. I have really started thinking what we are doing with our days with them and with the precious moments that we have together....

Are we teaching them...

• To love God with their whole hearts?
• To love others freely and purely?
• To laugh and play and to not take life too seriously?
• To appreciate each moment, each day, each memory?
• Are we showing them how you can love one another in a marriage completely, faults and all?
• Are we teaching them not to blink, so you don't miss a moment with the ones you love?

Well, lately, I have grown to appreciate my family so much more than ever before. My 2 children's birthdays were this month, along with Mother's Day, and my mom's birthday is this Sunday! Happy Birthday Mom! I love you so much and I am so grateful for you and your love in my life! You have helped to make me the woman I am today! Thank you for all you gave for our family!!

On that note, I have noticed that we blinked and our babies are children now and it won't be long before they will be graduating from high school, going off to college, and starting families of their own! Wow! (I know, I know, that is years away, but you get the point... You ALL KNOW I am a planner!!!- Where ARE those Harvard letters I already started for Anna Grace???) Where DOES the time go?

I hope you enjoy watching the last year of Austin's life with us. I enjoyed watching it as I put it together, but more importantly, I enjoyed living it with him!! Remember, when it comes to your family, don't blink, because if you do, you will miss something and every moment with your loved ones is a precious gift!

Austin, I hope you have a wonderful year ahead of you my son! We love you so very much!

As I promised yesterday, below is part 2 of Austin's Birthday slide show. The title of this post, and the song used for the slide show, is extremely special for our family- especially me and Austin. When he was a baby, I started singing this song to him each evening before bed, along with a few other songs. But, this song became his most requested. There are even times now that my 6 year old son requests this song. But, the difference is that he and I sing it together. It is very special to us.

Our favorite line of the song...

'Godspeed Little Man, Sweet Dreams Little Man, Oh My love will fly to you each night on Angel's wings... Godspeed... Sweet Dreams...'

I hope you enjoy watching the next 2 years.... (If you missed the May 20th post, you can see the 1st 2 years below if you scroll down to the 'He Isn't a Baby Anymore... (Part 1 of 3)' Post)

Godspeed My Little Man...

I know, I know....

So this post is almost 2 weeks overdue, (I have been sick for almost 2 weeks now and these slide shows took some work- 'some work' is a HUGE understatement) but we want to wish Austin a very Happy 6th birthday!! He was 6 years old on May 8th and the slide show below is our 'tribute' to Austin and our way of thanking him for a fabulous 1st 6 years-- not that there weren't hard times, but somehow we tend to overlook the 'hard stuff' and remember the moments of joy!! Actually, today's slide show is the 1st 2 years. I had to break the files up into 3 parts. So, parts 2 and 3 will come tomorrow and the next day!

On a side note, it was rather amazing to look back over the pictures and videos we have from the past 6 years. If you are having a rough day, take a moment (well my 'moment' turned into 3 & 1/2 weeks) to do this for your family! It has a way of putting things in perspective and helping you realize how blessed you really are! It also makes you wonder where in the world all the time went!! They aren't babies anymore.

Austin, God 'broke the mold', young man, when He made you and we know that He has big plans for you son--- you are truly awesome and destined for great things!! We love you and wish you a happy birthday!!

So, get something to drink, sit down, and relax for a few moments out of your day and think of your family as you watch this video. As I always say, better late than never....